If you’re reluctant to jump into the world of blogging, you’re not alone. Anytime I recommend to a client they should start blogging, a million questions arise. In this entry, I’ll list 6 benefits of blogging for internet retailers.

It Shows your Human Side: Corporations are impersonal. Show your customers there are real people behind your business, and those people care immensely about the opinions of customers. Some companies have their CEO’s or owner’s blog, while others opt for letting all employees blog. Whatever your choice, write in way that reaches out with that personal touch.

Product Highlighting: Blogs are a great medium for highlighting new and exciting products. Don’t over do it though, and keep it objective. If your posts smell like hyped up marketing in disguise, your readership will suffer. Rather than selling, consider letting employees review products objectively, explaining the features and benefits in a subtle way.

It Gives a Voice to Your Company: Forget stale “Press” pages, use a blog instead! What new or exciting developments are happening in your company? Are there any changes your customers need to know about? Share them on your blog.

It Gives a Voice to Your Customers: The enlightenment that comes from unfiltered customer comments is priceless. It’s amazing to me how blogs are magnets for criticism, both positive and negative. While not every comment should get posted, it greatly helps your credibility to answer a challenge or problem from a customer. If the comment is positive, you can’t buy a better brand building tool.

It Adds Value to Your Brand: Seth’s recent post, “Who Would Miss You?“, raises a great question that e-tailers in particular need to ask and answer. If you shut down your website today, would your customers miss you, or would they easily find a replacement? Blogging has the unique ability to add value to your brand by creating a irreplaceable relationship with your customers. Sure, your competitor sells your same products, but do they offer weekly tips for using them on their blog like you do?

6 Responses to “6 Reasons E-Tailers Need a Blog” by Justin Palmer

Great post. I push blogs on all of my clients as well. I think there are a myriad of benefits to blogging. One of the biggest that stand out to me is personalization. By blogging, you can put a real voice to your website. It helps to bridge the gap between an impersonal vague business to personalized service. It’s a great way to attract new clients and I’ve found it actually helps with putting me in touch with the types of clients I would prefer to deal with.

[...] the plunge into corporate blogging if you haven’t already. Last week Justin Palmer covered 6 reasons you should have an ecommerce blog. You will also enjoy James Chartrand’s contribution to Copyblogger that helps you choose a [...]